


Swift, smooth curves

by gaysadandtired



Series: Spreading Joy [2]
Category: NCT, WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Part 2 to Needle to the heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:21:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24203557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaysadandtired/pseuds/gaysadandtired
Summary: A first date and a promise for more.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Nakamoto Yuta
Series: Spreading Joy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707379
Comments: 6
Kudos: 63





	Swift, smooth curves

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of Needle To The Heart.

“You look good,” Yuta stated with a smirk, his chin propped up by his hand. “I’ve never seen anyone rock a plain tee as good as you do,” he teased. 

Ten scoffed. It’s not like he didn’t put effort into today’s outfit – how could he, it was a date after all – but anytime he tried to put on anything that went over his forearm, he couldn’t bear it. His skin was still far too sensitive from his new tattoo, and Yuta had to know that. 

Then again, Yuta didn’t have a right to complain when he himself came in rocking a black t-shirt. 

The tattoo artist gently stroked around the design inked into Ten’s skin. “It shouldn’t be long,” he stated. “As long as you take care of it properly, it’ll heal just fine.” 

“It better. It hurts like a bitch!” 

Yuta laughed at that, trailing his hand down to Ten’s wrist, testing just how far the man would let him go. For now, Yuta seemed to be taking careful steps closer to Ten. 

Of course, Ten would love to have the other man indulge him in affection, but he wasn't sure he could handle so much attention in quick succession. After all, Ten was a blushing mess just from Yuta greeting him a sickeningly sweet voice. 

Ten could have melted right there and then. 

How could a single man have such an overwhelming effect on him? 

“Have you been using the products I gave you?” 

Ten’s face went blank. 

“Oh, come on! I gave you them for _free_ , Ten.” 

“Hey there,” Ten said, hoping to defend himself. “I use them... sometimes. And _maybe_ I forgot today...” 

Yuta seemed unimpressed, his lips in a thin line. 

“Besides, I paid you back for them,” Ten pointed out. 

“You did? I don’t remember any payment.” 

Ten didn’t know if Yuta was genuine or if he was playing with him. He scoffed in disbelief, clicking his tongue as Yuta’s smirk grew wider. 

“Are you being for real right now or are you asking for a reminder?” 

“What do you think, Tennie?” 

The _Tennie_ in question looked down, suddenly finding great interest in his coffee. 

Yuta laughed, moving his hand further down to finally join their hands together. 

In turn, Ten became far more flustered, screaming internally at his inability to keep himself together. He’s not usually like this; normally, Ten knows how to behave around other men he has an interest in, but there’s just something about Yuta that has Ten losing his goddamn mind any time Yuta does absolutely _anything_. 

“I think you’re pushing your luck.” 

The tattooist grinned, pulling Ten’s hand up to his lips, gently kissing the man’s knuckles. 

If Ten wasn’t as red as a stop sign at that point then he’d be pleasantly surprised. 

“And I think you’re cute,” Yuta said. 

“Are you always like this?” Ten questioned, hiding his bashfulness by taking a sip of his drink. 

“Insanely charming?” Yuta questioned, stroking Ten’s slender fingers. “Only with people I like,” he explained. 

“So, I take it you like me a lot then?” 

The man in question nodded, the bright smile never leaving him. 

“Even though you don’t know anything about me?” 

“I know something,” Yuta stated. “For example, I know you’re an artist. You’re talented. You seem composed at first, but the moment you’re around me you turn into a mess,” he listed, noticing the scowl on Ten’s face at the last detail. He continued nevertheless. “You’re quite nosey. You have low pain tolerance. You’re a visual learner and you can talk for _hours_. So, I think I do know something.” 

“Impressive...” Ten admitted. 

“But there’s more to you, isn’t there?” 

“I sure hope so,” Ten answered with a chuckle. “Don’t get your hopes too high though. I might end up being annoying – or boring.” 

“I’ll take my chances,” Yuta stated, gently placing Ten’s hand back down on the table. Just when Ten thought Yuta was giving him a moment to breath and pull himself together, Yuta nudged his foot under the small round table. 

Playing footsies under the table? Now _that_ made Ten feel like he was transported back in time to his high school days with Yuta as his first boyfriend, both dancing around what they really wanted. 

“You’ll regret those words,” Ten assured. 

“Will I?” Yuta asked with a shit eating grin, lips spread widely in a thin line. 

Everything about his demeanour had Ten going haywire; the way he sat hunched over with that playful smirk; the way his eyes were shining with all the stars in the universe; the way he kept teasing Ten with his foot under the table; or the way in which Yuta looked like the man of Ten’s wildest dreams with his fried blond hair falling over his eyes, ears adorned with glistening piercings; everything about the man made Ten feel absolutely breathless. 

“I don’t think I will,” Yuta said, answering his own question. “But just in case, I’m gonna ask you a _very_ serious question. It’s important you answer it truthfully. Can you do that?” 

Ten chuckled. “Do I have a choice?” 

“Absolutely none,” Yuta replied. “Okay! Cats or dogs?” 

Surprised, Ten blinked in quick succession. “Huh?” 

“It’s a simple question,” Yuta said, leaning back in his chair, arms folded over his chest. “It’s very serious.” 

“Of course, _so_ important,” Ten agreed, humouring Yuta. 

“So, what is it? And you can’t say both.” 

“Well... I guess I’m more of a cat person.” 

Yuta beamed. “I knew it!” Overjoyed, he exclaimed. “We are gonna get along just fine, dearest Tennie.” 

“I take it you like cats then.” 

“I _love_ cats,” Yuta corrected. “They’re little bundles of joy. And when they-” Yuta paused, welling up with utter admiration. “I’m already getting teary eyed thinking of how cute they are. Oh my god!” The man laughed, wiping at his eyes before he actually started crying. 

Ten thought Yuta looked beyond adorable in the moment. 

Yuta, a man that looked like he could be the front man to a rock band, was close to tears thinking of cute little kittens. If that wasn’t the most charming, mindboggling thing Ten has ever witnessed, then he didn’t know what was. 

More or less, according to Ten’s standards, Yuta was the perfect man. 

“Fuck you’re cute,” Ten muttered, his heart tightening when Yuta giggled. 

“I know I am.” 

Ten snorted. “I’m loving the confidence. It’s sexy.” 

“Look at you, getting bold,” Yuta teased. “You said that without turning red. I’m so proud of you.” 

Biting his lip in annoyance, Ten lightly kicked Yuta’s shin under the table. The soft yelp which escaped Yuta’s lips brought some attention to them, multiple pairs of eyes glancing over at the two extremely giddy grown men. 

“But I have to say: I am sexy all-round,” Yuta added. 

“Even your tattoo?” 

Yuta laughed. “Are we bringing that back?” 

“You said you’d show me it after coffee.” 

“I did,” Yuta admitted. “And I will. _After_ you finish your coffee.” 

Hearing that, Ten picked up his coffee cup, tilting his head back and gulping down the remaining drops of his beverage. 

“Well it’s finished,” he announced, showing Yuta the empty mug. 

“Can’t deny that.” 

*** 

“Excuse the mess,” Yuta said behind Ten, closing the doors to his apartment. “I cleaned up earlier but it’s hard to tell.” 

“It looks fine,” Ten assured. 

Yuta’s flat was cosy, reminding Ten of the tattoo parlour Yuta ran. There were plenty flowers scattered around the place, their vivid colours adding life to the place. The warm sunshine slipping through the flowy white curtains just added to the overall warmth of the man’s apartment. 

“I know we just had coffee, but do you want anything?” 

“I’m good,” Ten stated. He looked around; eyes wide in awe at how everything about Yuta’s flat was just so... so like him. 

There was so much care put into the small living space; little figurines and artworks were strewn around, and despite this only being their second meeting, Ten knew that that was something so _Yuta_. 

Both men had so much to learn about each other, but being inside Yuta’s home made them feel so much closer than they really were. 

Ten could learn so much about Yuta just by looking at the mismatch of books filling up his shelves; he could tell Yuta’s taste in music just by a single glance at the stack of CD’s and vinyl disks by his T.V; he could see what Yuta’s passion and hobbies were by the sketch books, pens and pencils laid out on his sleek coffee table. 

Ten felt like he knew Yuta much longer than he truly did. 

Something like that was so hard to come by. 

“In that case,” Yuta said, passing by Ten to stand in the centre of his living room. “Welcome to my humble abode. It ain’t much, but it’s mine.” 

“I like it,” Ten said. “It suits you.” 

“I’d be surprised if it didn’t” Yuta replied with a faint chuckle. He threw himself over to the couch, his arm flung over the armrest. “Well come on then, what’re you waiting for?” 

Ten didn’t stand around any longer, striding over to where Yuta was. He sat himself next to the man, forcing down the grin threatening to spread across his face as Yuta snaked his arm over Ten’s shoulder, pulling the man closer. 

Ten walked right into that. 

“You know,” Yuta started, “I’m actually surprised you agreed to today.” 

“Why wouldn’t I?” 

Yuta shrugged, turning his head to look at Ten. 

“I thought you’d be like, _he’s such a sleazebag, flirting with me when all I wanted was a tattoo_. That kind of thing,” the tattoo artist explained. 

Ten laughed. “Is that what I sound like to you?” 

“Kind of, yeah,” Yuta replied, laughing as Ten playfully elbowed his side. 

“You’re unbelievable.” 

“I know I am.” 

Ten rolled his eyes. “But if we’re being honest, I did think you were joking when you asked me out. You know, since I acted like an actual idiot that day.” 

“I’d say you were endearing,” Yuta stated. The arm slung over Ten pulled the man in closer by the smallest fraction, just close enough for the space between their bodies to grow non-existent. “Especially when you tried to act like it didn’t hurt when you were getting inked. If I was that bit meaner, I think I would’ve laughed back then.” 

“Now that’s just cruel,” Ten huffed. “I was trying to impress you.” 

“Oh you definitely impressed me. I still think about how cute you looked.” 

“Since you’ve never gone through that pain, you don’t have the right to make fun of me,” Ten stated. 

“Here we go again,” Yuta said with an eye roll. “Saying I don’t have any tattoos.” 

“You know it yourself,” Ten pointed out. “I need visual proof. So, either show me the tattoo or I’ll keep believing you don’t have any.” 

Yuta sighed, pushing himself up from the couch. He stood up, his back to Ten. “Wanna guess where it is?” 

Ten didn’t notice the how on the nose Yuta was about the location. Instead, he hummed in thought. 

“Thigh?” 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Yuta said, laughing at Ten. “Wanna try again.” 

“I...” 

“What are you looking at right now?” 

Ten’s eyes trailed down Yuta’s back. 

“Ass?” 

Thoroughly amused by the answer, Yuta guffawed. “Partly right, but not quite. Want another guess before the reveal.” 

Ten completely blanked. If not his legs or ass then what... 

“ _Oh_!” The man in question exclaimed with excitement, clapping his hands together. “Your back?” 

“Bingo!” Yuta replied enthusiastically, a bubbly laughter escaping his lips. “It’s my back,” he confirmed, clutching the hem of his t-shirt, tugging the fabric over his head, in turn revealing a beautiful artwork adoring the entirety of his back. 

Ten’s jaw dropped; eyes wide in awe. Yuta’s tattoo looked absolutely stunning and intricate in all of its detail. It was a beautiful traditional piece; bold colours and lines filled the canvas which was Yuta’s skin with depictions of a tiger and dragon intertwined amidst the clouds. 

“That’s... woah,” Ten uttered in wonder. 

“I know, right?” 

“That’s so big,” Ten continued, reaching out to trace the swift, smooth curves of the art along Yuta’s back. The man shuddered at the ghost like touch, faintly chuckling. “Did it hurt?” 

“Not really,” Yuta stated. “The back doesn’t hurt that much – apart from the spine,” he added. “Now that part stung like hell. But anyway, are you finally convinced I have a tattoo?” 

“Can’t deny that,” Ten said, somewhat disappointed when Yuta put his shirt back on, sitting back down beside Ten. “When did you get it?” 

“A few years ago,” Yuta replied, slinging his arm around Ten’s shoulder once again, pulling the man in once more. 

Ten thoroughly enjoyed their proximity, twisting his body slightly to cuddle up against Yuta’s side. He planted his hand on Yuta’s chest, feeling the rise and fall with each breath he took. 

“My uncle worked at a studio back in Osaka and he actually did the piece for me,” Yuta explained. “He used to let me practice on his equipment and I just fell in love. So, after the tattoo, I decided I wanted to run my own place. I’d say that worked out rather well.” 

“Considering you inked me up pretty good, yeah it did go well,” Ten said, looking down at the piece on his forearm. He still had to get used to that being there. “And since we’re talking about our origin stories-” 

Yuta laughed. “Are you Batman or something?” 

“And what if I am? Let me have my origin story!” 

The tattooist chuckled, slithering his arm down to Ten’s lithe waist to wrap around his midriff. The men were practically inseparable at this point, their bodies so close that it was impossible to tell where either man started and ended. “Go on then, let me hear it.” 

“As I was gonna say,” Ten started, gently drawing patterns against Yuta’s shirt. “I wanted to become an artist when my mum bought me an arts and craft kit when I was a kid.” 

“That’s so adorable,” Yuta cooed. “I bet you drew the cutest little drawings.” 

“I was terrible,” Ten corrected. “But I was a child, so there’s my excuse.” 

“That’s the charm,” Yuta stated. “When kids draw and everything is a mess but they’re so proud and that’s _so_ fucking cute. The sun in the corner of the page? A thin line for the sky and grass? Fucking priceless!” Yuta exclaimed; a bright grin plastered across his features. “When I have children, I’m gonna cover all the walls in their drawings.” 

“You want kids?” 

“Oh definitely,” Yuta replied with glee, his face lighting up at the question. “Maybe two or three,” he specified, tilting his head in thought. 

Handsome, fun to be around, a cat person, financially stable _and_ he wants kids? 

Ten definitely hit a jackpot with Yuta. 

Now all Ten needed was to actually move on further with their relationship. As long as Yuta was willing to try, then Ten would happily agree to date the man. It was worth a shot, especially since everything about their time spent together – no matter how short – practically screamed _perfect match_. 

Maybe it was too soon to be overly confident, but Ten didn’t mind taking a risk if the outcome could be as great as what he imagined. 

“But that’s a topic for another day,” Yuta said. “Don’t you think?” 

Ten nodded. “I’m glad we’re on the same page though,” he said. “If you didn’t like kids, I’d be heartbroken.” 

The tattooist grinned, cupping Ten’s face. His thumb softly rubbed over Ten’s pink dusted cheek, inching the man in closer until their lips faintly brushed. Their kiss lacked the same urgency as their first, simply enjoying the delicate embrace of the other’s lips, getting used to the feeling so unlike anything either of them knew. 

It was tender. No hunger for more was present unlike before. And maybe Ten preferred it that way. As strange as that sounded coming from him, Ten actually enjoyed their current pace. 

For their relationship so far, it simply felt right. 

Funny that for once, Ten didn’t want to rush. He didn’t want to potentially ruin what could ultimately be _the_ relationship Ten has been chasing after. 

Yuta tilted Ten’s head back to kiss him deeper, grinning into the kiss, unable to contain it in. Ten absolutely loved that; he adored how the curve of Yuta’s lips against his had his stomach doing somersaults and heart running a marathon; he loved how it filled his veins with pure unfiltered joy, feeling as if he was basking under the affectionate rays of sunshine. 

Yuta was undeniably the sun. 

And Ten was already pulled into Yuta’s orbit. 

Slowly, Yuta began to pull away. The smile with which he melted Ten’s heart still present on his face. 

Their eyes locked, both flooded with the same look of fondness. 

“I know the day still isn’t over but,” Yuta started, gingerly brushing away strands of hair from Ten’s eyes, “are you free next week?” 

“Depends,” Ten answered with a simper. “What’s gonna happen next week?” 

“I was hoping we could go on a proper date,” Yuta replied. 

“I thought this was a date.” 

“It is,” Yuta acknowledged. “But next time, I wanna take you out somewhere nice.” 

“Look at you,” Ten joked. “Treating me out for a fancy meal. Is that your plan?” 

Yuta hummed in agreement. “I wanna take you out on a fancy date. And then another. And another. And then,” he paused, leaning back in so that both their lips were hovering against each other. “I’ll ask you to be my boyfriend. You like the sound of that?” 

“What a gentleman,” Ten uttered softly. “Three dates before making a move.” The man chuckled. “I like that plan,” he assured. “A _lot_.” 

Relieved, Yuta exhaled. 

“I hope that means you won’t be flirting with any of your other clients,” Ten said playfully, lightly tapping Yuta’s chest. 

“I wouldn’t dare,” Yuta stated. “Besides, I doubt I’ll meet anyone cuter than you.” 

“I’m not cute,” Ten huffed. 

“I beg to differ.” 

“Then beg,” Ten said, pulling Yuta in for yet another kiss. 

Yuta didn’t fail to smile again. If anything, the airy laughter coming from him had Ten going crazy. 

He really did get lucky with Yuta. 

_Oh_ _so lucky._

**Author's Note:**

> For @KarafuruAyo on Twitter
> 
> My [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/teniljohnyong)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


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